Author: CNN

KPIX

By Loureen Ayyoub

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    SAN FRANCISCO, California (KPIX) — In the still waters of an indoor swamp nestled within the California Academy of Sciences, a ghostly figure glides just beneath the surface. Claude, the museum’s beloved albino alligator, marks a rare and remarkable milestone this week: his 30th birthday.

Born without melanin, Claude’s brilliant white appearance is due to albinism, a genetic condition that renders him both visually striking and highly vulnerable in the wild. In nature, his lack of camouflage and sensitivity to sunlight would make survival nearly impossible. But here in San Francisco, Claude has not only survived, he’s become a local legend.

“Claude has become this massive icon to the San Francisco community,” said biologist Jessica Witherly, one of the Academy’s animal caretakers. “Everyone loves him and his story. He’s got two children’s books. And we get news articles or info from kids across the United States saying how much they love Claude. So he’s kind of become this iconic character.”

The California Academy of Sciences is home to more than 38,000 live animals, but none quite like Claude. Since arriving in 2008, the reptile rescue has become a cornerstone of the Academy’s Steinhart Aquarium. His docile nature and striking appearance draw countless visitors every year.

“All of our animal care biologists take care of different animals here,” Witherly explained. “So, some days, I’m looking at starfish under the microscope and other days I am climbing into this pit and feeding Claude with my other caretakers.”

This week, the Academy hosted a birthday celebration in Claude’s honor—complete with a swamp-themed party, enrichment treats, and plenty of adoring fans. The festivities highlighted not just Claude’s longevity but the dedication of the team that has ensured his continued health and comfort.

“Claude would not survive in the wild as an ambush predator,” Witherly said. “Everyone would be able to see him, they’d unfortunately eat him. And also, he would get sunburned and turn into a very uncomfortable pink alligator.”

Instead, he receives regular checkups, environmental enrichment, and even gentle scrubs to help maintain his scales. His calm demeanor makes him a favorite among staff and visitors alike.

“He’s a very calm guy,” Witherly said. “A lot of people don’t think he’s real because he doesn’t move that much. But I’ve never been scared. Luckily, at the Cal Academy, we train our staff and have tons of opportunities, so we feel very confident and comfortable whenever we’re working with our animals.”

Though Claude may be one of a kind, in the heart of San Francisco, he’s found a home where he’s celebrated just the way he is.

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WCBS

By Katie Houlis

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    NEW YORK CITY, New York (WCBS) — Hundreds of people named “Ryan” gathered in New York City on Saturday in an attempt to break a world record, while raising money for a good cause at the same time.

The second ever “Rytoberfest” was held at Torch and Crown in Union Square. The event was organized by Ryan Meetup, an organization that aims to one day break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same first name.

“It’s crazy seeing this many Ryans in one place, and I don’t know. It’s so unreal … Everyone has the same name as you,” said Ryan Clapham, who traveled from Australia for the event.

All proceeds from the event went to the Ryan Callahan Foundation, which was started by former New York Rangers Captain Ryan Callahan to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and their families.

The first Rytoberfest was held in New York City in October 2023 and was attended by over 200 Ryans.

Ryan Meetup has organized various events across the country. The organization’s website stresses that participants’ first name must be Ryan – no Bryans or people with the last name Ryan – though alternate spellings are acceptable.

The current Guinness World Record holder for the largest gathering of people with the same first name was set in 2017 when over 2,000 people with the first name “Ivan” got together in a town in the Balkans.

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WWJ

By Paula Wethington, Heath Kalb

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    MACOMB COUNTY, Michigan (WWJ) — At least one person was injured in the aftermath of a house fire on Wednesday morning in Macomb County, Michigan.

The fire was in the 48000 block of Donner Road in New Baltimore. Chesterfield Fire Department responded to the scene, along with assisting agencies.

One person was taken by ambulance to an area hospital because of smoke inhalation and burns, the fire department said.

Footage from Chesterfield Township police body cameras shows the moments as first responders rush to save the life of a 76-year-old man trapped inside the home. When police and firefighters arrived, they observed the back of the house to be fully engulfed in flames. The first responders heard a man gasping for air from the front room of the home.

Authorities crawled into and entered the residence, and were able to save the homeowner and the only person inside the house. The 76-year-old man was transported to a hospital.

Authorities say the man sustained burns to the left side of his body and was listed in critical condition.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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KCBS

By Michele Gile, Dean Fioresi

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    ORANGE COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The Orange County woman who faces a series of felonies for registering her dog to vote in 2021 and 2022 made her first court appearance on Tuesday, saying through her legal team that she did so to “expose flaws” in California’s voting system.

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, was charged with five felonies last week as she registered her dog, Maya, to vote in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election, Orange County District Attorney prosecutors said.

“The dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election but was rejected in the 2022 primary,” said the DOJ’s office in a release.

During Tuesday’s appearance, Yourex did not enter a plea for the five felonies she faces, which include one count of perjury, one count of procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, one count of registering a non-existent person to vote and two counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote. Her arraignment was postponed until December.

“Laura Yourex sincerely regrets her unwise attempt to expose flaws in our state voting system intending to improve it by demonstrating that even a dog can be registered to vote,” said her attorney, Jaime Coulter, while reading a statement outside of the courthouse in Santa Ana on Tuesday. “Ms. Yourex never hid from taking personal responsibility as she self-reported the matter to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, intending to have them investigate and ultimately improve our voting registration system.”

The case caused concern amongst Orange County leaders on Tuesday during a meeting. Two members of the county’s Board of Supervisors pushed for an emergency motion to have voter rules examined, but it failed.

One of those supervisors was District 1’s Janet Nguyen, who wants to have the county’s dog license records reviewed in order to expose illegal voters.

“If we can cross-reference the addresses and the names to see, is there potentially a name that could be suspicious and then we can say, ‘Wait a minute, let’s flag this,” Nguyen said while speaking with CBS News Los Angeles.

Bob Page, the Orange County Registrar of Voters, said that his office received a report about a fictitious voter last year.

“We take voter fraud very serious,” Page said. “When I received a report in October that there may have been a fictitious person who was registered to vote, and had voted, attempted to vote in two elections, we referred that immediately to the district attorney to investigate and he ultimately filed charges.”

Supervisor Katrina Foley said that since the presidential election last year, 175,000 names have been removed from the county’s voter files.

“They moved, they died, they were ineligible to vote,” she said. “I don’t support what I think is an anti-democratic way to try to test our system. People should be held accountable for that.”

Records show that Yourex is a registered Republican, but Maya was listed as having no party preference.

Yourex faces up to six years in state prison if convicted as charged of the five felonies.

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KTVT

By Trevor Sochocki

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    MCKINNEY, Texas (KTVT) — Tonja Moon walked with purpose into the lobby of Golden Grace Assisted Living in McKinney, holding the baby in the crook of her arm.

“Hey everybody,” she cooed to the residents seated on the couches and chairs. “Look what we have.”

As Moon and the other volunteers with the Grand Baby Project passed out the rest of the babies to the memory care patients, some of them caught on.

“Is she a real baby?” a resident asked.

“If you want her to be,” Moon replied.

Strictly speaking, no — the handful of baby dolls the grandparents doted on are not living. But Moon said some of her clients don’t know that.

“We just want to give them the opportunity to have purpose every single day,” Moon explained. “Dementia doll therapy is really just a way for residents to have purpose and connection.”

For the last five years, Moon and her Texas-based nonprofit have been going around the country, giving dolls to memory care units and residents. Though the practice of giving dolls to the elderly is common overseas, it was a foreign concept to Moon when she first heard about it.

She started the project after seeing how her grandma reacted.

“We literally wrapped up this tiny little doll in a nursing home towel,” Moon recalled. “She thought she’d been handed a newborn.”

The project delivered 3,000 baby dolls last year around the world. Moon equates it to pet therapy — she said it gives residents a reason to be healthy and embrace their nurturing instinct.

“Depending on where they are,” said Golden Grace Assisted Living’s Erika Brown. “They take the baby and they love on them, because it reminds them of a time where they held their own baby or their own grandbaby.”

Moon said she’s seen improved outcomes across the board due to the dolls.

“You can see the smiles yourself of how wonderful it really, truly is,” Brown said. “Even the guys, even though you don’t expect them to really get involved, they really go for it.”

The dolls at Golden Grace will stay there for the residents to take care of for the rest of their lives — and Moon will be back in a year to celebrate all the babies’ birthdays.

“Fills your cup,” Moon said. “But man, it breaks my heart every single time — in a good way.”

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KYW

By Eva Andersen

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    FISHTOWN, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Wrestling chants and sandwich samples collided Sunday in Philadelphia, where the first-ever Hoagie Throwdown paired professional wrestling with a battle of the city’s best sandwiches.

The event, hosted by Chef Eli Kulp and the Delicious City Philly Podcast team at Other Half Brewing in Fishtown, drew hundreds of fans for an afternoon that was equal parts food festival and wrestling show. Wrestlers from Pro Wrestling Entertainment delivered high-energy matches — including one where a competitor entered wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey, prompting loud boos and Eagles chants from the Philly crowd.

“It’s not a grinder, it’s not a po’ boy, it’s not a sub — it’s a hoagie!” David Wesolowski, co-host of Delicious City, said. “It’s a battlefield of delicious sandwiches!”

Alongside the action in the ring, more than a dozen hoagie makers competed for the title of “Delicious City’s Hoagie Champion.” The lineup featured shops such as Angelo’s Pizzeria, Farina Di Vita, Breezy’s Deli, Reuby Indian Taqueria, Càphê Roasters and Upper Darby’s Wilson’s Secret Sauce. Attendees sampled sandwiches and voted for their favorites by dropping coins into ballot boxes.

Vendors embraced the playful spirit. Breezy’s Deli chef Chad Durkin hyped his porchetta sandwich in full wrestling persona as “The Mouth Jumper,” wearing a costume with fake muscles.

“You can try the rest, but now it’s time to try the best!” Durkin yelled to customers. “Come to the ‘House of Porchetta!'”

Wilson’s Secret Sauce offered “The Cena,” named after WWE star John Cena. In this case, “Cena” was also a play on words.

“You haven’t seen it before!” said Steve Wilson, chef and owner.

The most eye-catching entry came from Reuby Indian Taqueria: a hoagie with a hot pink roll filled with tandoori chicken salad and salsa verde chutney.

“I have a Michelin background from New York City, but I wanted to do my own thing, which is Indian-Mexican food,” said Reuben Asaram, chef and owner. “My friends and following that I have know that my food is vibrant – I’m known for bright colors, so I had to bring it here for the Hoagie [Throwdown].”

As for what made the bun pink? It’s still a mystery.

“I can’t say because it’s a secret, but it is all natural,” Asaram said. (He did add that the bread has roasted long hots and pecorino inside.)

General admission tickets included hoagie tastings, a beer from Other Half Brewing, entry to the wrestling matches, meet-and-greets with wrestlers, live entertainment and access to a vendor marketplace. A VIP package offered early entry, exclusive sandwiches and a private lounge.

By day’s end, Shaun “Too Smooth” Smith scored the victory in the ring, while Reuby Indian Taqueria claimed the Hoagie Throwdown’s inaugural winning belt.

As Asaram held the belt alongside two of his teammates, his speech was simple:

“Go Birds!”

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WCBS

By Elijah Westbrook

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    BROOKLYN, New York (WCBS) — A deadly crash left a devastating scene overnight in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. Police sources say the vehicle involved had been reported stolen.

The crash happened shortly before 1:45 a.m. Monday on 35th Street at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue.

Flatbush Avenue crash leaves intersection littered with debris

Surveillance video showed the black Honda Civic jump the curb and slam into the side of a building, splitting the car in two pieces and scattering debris across the roadway.

It plowed through garbage bags set on the sidewalk and narrowly missed a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The impact left the intersection littered with trash among the wreckage.

“This is crazy — crazy and other words that you can’t put on camera,” one resident said after waking up to the damage.

“I thought it was a multi-vehicle accident until I realized that it was actually just one vehicle in several parts,” another resident added.

Police sources said the car, which had a TLC livery license plate, had been left running at Regent Place and Flatbush Avenue, about a mile and a half north of the crash scene.

“A car just flew past me, it literally flew so fast that my whole car shook,” one witness said.

“This could’ve been a lot worse. He hit a building where people live,” said another. “People could’ve been coming out of their house.”

The 41-year-old man behind the wheel was found lying in the street, police said. He was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released.

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KCNC

By Tori Mason

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    Colorado (KCNC) — A quiet street in Colorado filled with water Friday, after a 12-inch water main burst, blasting water more than 40 feet into the air.

Ronald Wright has lived on Easter Avenue in Centennial for 45 years, and said he’s never seen anything like it. He had just dropped his son off at work when he stumbled upon the scene.

“I came around that corner and it looked like Old Faithful in front of my house,” Wright said. “It was about 45 feet in the air, and I didn’t know what was going on. Of course, I couldn’t get in my driveway.”

He immediately called 911.

Even the utility crew was stunned by the scale of the geyser.

“The guy from the water department, he’s been there 35 years. He’s never seen anything this serious or this big,” Wright said.

The eruption forced water, rocks, and debris down the street. Wright’s home took the brunt of it.

The pressure was so strong that it exploded through the pavement, leaving a massive hole and chunks of pavement in his driveway. His mailbox is buried in a crater.

“It does look like a volcano happened here,” Wright said. “You see all these rocks around here, looks like lava rocks. Getting hit by one of these wouldn’t feel so good!”

Luckily, no one was injured.

The break came from an aging main. Wright said he was told the pipe would need to be replaced. Crews also told him the utility would take responsibility for the cleanup and any damage.

“I just had a new roof put on, and I’m hoping it’s okay, because it was not cheap,” he laughed. Some water made its way to his basement and garage.

The street was closed, and homes were without water for six to eight hours.

Despite the disruption, Wright kept his sense of humor.

“Things happen, you know? It’s just luck. It’s not good, bad luck, but it’s the way it is,” he said. “I guess I won’t be getting mail for a while, though.”

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KCNC

By Karen Morfitt

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    Colorado (KCNC) — A Colorado boy is heading home after a terrifying medical emergency at recess, one that doctors say is like what happened to NFL player Damar Hamlin.

Twelve-year-old Jordan Palomar of Fort Morgan collapsed on the playground last week after going into sudden cardiac arrest. He was flown to HCA HealthOne Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian St. Luke’s.

While there, doctors implanted a device to regulate his heart rhythm. Jordan is now recovering and reunited with his family, just in time to celebrate his 13th birthday with his twin brother.

“I didn’t even know why I was in here,” Jordan said Friday morning from his hospital bed.

His parents said the call from the school was one they’ll never forget. Jordan, an active soccer player and sports fan, had open heart surgery as an infant but hadn’t had any issues since.

“I just remember going as fast as I could, just trying to get to him,” his father said.

Doctors say immediate CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) on the playground helped save Jordan’s life.

“We’re still working to understand the exact cause,” said Dr. Ian Milligan.

Jordan’s case mirrors that of Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who collapsed during a game in 2023. Both incidents have underscored the importance of having emergency plans and life-saving equipment in schools and public places.

“I think awareness and having a plan in place, having the right people and training and devices in the right places is the best thing we can do for our children,” Dr. Milligan added.

A school nurse, a school resource officer, who also happens to be a close family friend, and a student who ran for help are all credited with saving Jordan’s life.

“They did everything perfectly right at the right time to save my life,” Jordan said.

As he recovered in the hospital, Jordan was surrounded by support from his classmates, including handmade cards and letters. His care team even helped him celebrate his 13th birthday in the hospital alongside his twin.

“Things could have gone a lot differently,” his mom said. “He might not have been here to celebrate that birthday.”

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